Division III Strategic Plan
2008-09 and 2009-10 Budget Biennium
Vision Statement: Division III will be a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, universities and conferences of varying sizes and missions committed to an environment that encourages and supports diversity, values, fairness and equity, and places the highest priority on the overall educational experience of the student‐athletes in the conduct of intercollegiate athletics.
INTRODUCTION
Strategic planning serves many purposes. It assures that (1) major strategic objectives, initiatives and concerns are identified and addressed consistent with the Association‐wide goals and Division III philosophy; (2) priorities are established consistent with the Association‐wide strategic plan, and effort and attention are focused on the most critical issues; and (3) the best possible use is made of finite resources. History The plan was unveiled in 1998 as the division embarked on its new federated structure. The Division III Management Council Strategic Planning Subcommittee developed the framework for the plan with broad participation of the Presidents Council, Division III and Association‐wide committee structure, and the Division III membership. The 2004 version of the Division III Strategic Plan was developed by a joint subcommittee of the Management and Presidents Councils consistent with the Association‐wide strategic plan adopted by the NCAA Executive Committee in April, 2004. The 2004 plan contained many of the existing initiatives and priorities to ensure that the programs and results remain consistent with Division III objectives. However, significant changes occurred as the 2005 and 2006 plans linked the relationship to the Division III philosophy with each Association‐wide goal and outlined a series of outcome measures for each goal. Another significant change occurred in 2006‐07 as the Division III Strategic Initiatives Grant Program resources were funneled directly to Division III Conferences and the Association of Independents. With this change, many strategic initiatives previously administered at the NCAA national office moved to the local control of conferences and institutions. The localized program encourages collaboration and involvement of all Division III constituent group representatives in the planning, decision‐making and accountability of programming and funding to achieve the goals established in the division's strategic plan. Presidential oversight and accountability with the process and budget allocations, consistent with the legislated leadership role of presidents within conference governance, is paramount. New for the 2008‐09 and 2009‐10 biennium The strategic plan underwent a format change to create a forward looking document that highlights the goals and expectations of a budget biennium. Much of the reporting done in the previous plan will move to a newly created Division III annual report, and standard committee operations will be reflected in each committee’s policy and procedure guide (available on each committee’s home page on ncaa.org). In the new plan format, duplicative budget references were eliminated to more clearly articulate the division’s funding priorities, and clarify when an initiative is funded by Division III, and when it is funded from the broader Association‐Wide budget. The specific relationship between the Division III philosophy and Association wide goals and objectives were replaced with an appendix showing the philosophical or constitutional justification for all programs funded with Division III dollars. This plan retains as its foundation the NCAA’s Association‐wide goals and objectives.
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DIVISION III PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT Colleges and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students' academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student‐ athlete's athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the student‐athlete's educational experience, and in which coaches play a significant role as educators. They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student‐ athletes and athletics staff. To achieve this end, Division III institutions: (a) Place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators and place greater emphasis on the internal constituency (e.g., students, alumni, institutional personnel) than on the general public and its entertainment needs;
(e)
Assure that the actions of coaches and administrators exhibit fairness, openness and honesty in their relationships with student‐athletes; Assure that athletics participants are not treated differently from other members of the student body; Assure that athletics programs support the institution's educational mission by financing, staffing and controlling the programs through the same general procedures as other departments of the institution. Further, the administration of an institution's athletics program (e.g., hiring, compensation, professional development, certification of coaches) should be integrated into the campus culture and educational mission; Assure that athletics recruitment complies with established institutional policies and procedures applicable to the admission process; Assure that academic performance of student‐athletes is, at a minimum, consistent with that of the general student body; Assure that admission policies for student‐athletes comply with policies and procedures applicable to the general student body;
(k)
Provide equitable athletics opportunities for males and females and give equal emphasis to men's and women's sports; Support ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents; Give primary emphasis to regional in‐season competition and conference championships; and Support student‐athletes in their efforts to reach high levels of athletics performance, which may include opportunities for participation in national championships, by providing all teams with adequate facilities, competent coaching and appropriate competitive opportunities.
(l) (f)
(m)
(g)
(n)
(h) (b) Shall not award financial aid to any student on the basis of athletics leadership, ability, participation or performance; Encourage the development of sportsmanship and positive societal attitudes in all constituents, including student‐athletes, coaches, administrative personnel and spectators; Encourage participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities for their students; (i)
(c)
The purpose of the NCAA is to assist its members in developing the basis for consistent, equitable competition while minimizing infringement on the freedom of individual institutions to determine their own special objectives and programs. The above statement articulates principles that represent a commitment to Division III membership and shall serve as a guide for the preparation of legislation by the division and for planning and implementation of programs by institutions and conferences.
(j) (d)
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Association Wide Goal 1: Athletics as Integral to Higher Education. Student‐athletes will be better educated and prepared for increased and lifelong achievement and success. Objectives • Increase support of reform efforts that emerge from the governance structure. • Increase the number of student‐athletes who succeed academically. • Increase opportunities for student‐athletes to integrate their academic athletics and social interests. • Enhance the leadership role of athletics administrators and increase the role of coaches as advocates for the values of intercollegiate athletics. Division III Programs and Initiatives Conference visits by Presidents Council, Management Council and Student‐Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Members and staff. Virtual Focus Groups. Communication Initiatives: Inform membership of policy issues, governance updates and hot topics. Annual Division III Commissioners meeting. Student‐athlete leadership conferences. Measurable Outcomes Improve communication between and among governance structure and membership as evidenced by a satisfaction survey. All conferences, through VFGs, will engage in dialog on a quarterly basis. Conference visits, Quarterly newsletters, monthly Commissioner/NADIIIAA updates and periodic educational columns shall be conducted or distributed on a regular schedule. All conferences will be represented annually; commissioners will be provided with the opportunity to discuss governance issues and Division III hot topics. At least 80 percent of eligible institutions will participate annually in DIII Student‐Athlete Leadership Conferences, 80 percent of participating student‐ athletes will implement the action plan developed at the conference, and 100 percent of participating coaches and administrators will become stronger advocates for the values of intercollegiate athletics. The program will grow by five Division III institutions per year. All institutions will access strategic initiative conference grant dollars over a four year period, and that all conferences will optimally use the full allocation of funds each year. Celebrate successful campus SAAC community outreach in each quarterly DIII Newsletter, engage in community outreach at each National SAAC meeting, and annually educate student‐athletes about National Student‐Athlete Day and other community initiatives. DIII Resource Allocation Association‐ wide funding Association‐ wide funding Overhead
$10,000 $680,000
Champs/Life Skills programs. Strategic Initiatives Conference Grant Program: Tier One‐ Professional Development and SAAC support, Tier Two‐ Student‐Athlete Well Being Initiatives. National SAAC Outreach.
Association‐ wide funding $800,000
Association‐ wide funding
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ASSOCIATION‐WIDE GOAL 2: The Student‐Athlete Experience. Student‐athletes will be enriched by a collegiate athletics experience based on fair and reasonable standards and a commitment to sportsmanship. Objectives • Increase the applications of fairer and more flexible regulations that favor student‐athletes. • Increase the opportunities for women and minorities to participate in intercollegiate athletics at all levels. • Increase sportsmanship in intercollegiate athletics among student‐athletes, coaches and fans. Division III Programs and Initiatives Measurable Outcomes Resource Allocation from Division III Budget $820,000
Women and Minority Internship Program
Strategic Alliance Matching Grant
Strategic Initiatives Conference Grant Program: Tier Two‐ Diversity/Gender Equity and Sportsmanship Initiatives The Nominating Committee shall annually review the NCAA's gender and diversity audit and make personal contact with targeted groups to encourage committee service. Get in the Game Web Site
The division will assess the original goals of this program to understand its legacy and to formulate future, long terms goals related to diversity of the athletics administrative and governance structures. The division will assess the original goals of this program to understand its legacy and to formulate future, long terms goals related to diversity of the athletics administrative and governance structures. All conferences and at least 50% of institutions will engage in programming related to diversity, gender equity and sportsmanship initiatives. Balance membership of Division III Committees to ensure the interests of all Division III constituents are represented in the governance structure. The staff will maintain an online resource to provide consistent and complete compliance information to student‐athletes for the certification of eligibility process. Student‐athletes will benefit from the receipt of more individual consideration of their issues in the waiver and interpretations process. Education sessions on Division III rules and regulations will be offered annually. The Membership Committee shall annually make available a clear and fair rules test that all members can access on line to comply with the condition and obligation of membership to administer the rules test. The Championships Committee will continually assess the appropriateness of bracket sizes and selection processes. The Division will fund this professional development opportunity for female athletics administrators in a manner most accommodating to applicant individuals. At least 75 percent of DIII member conferences will actively engage in monitoring and recognizing a commitment to sportsmanship annually. Emphasis shall be placed on the development of campus and conference policies for game and event management and increasing promotion of positive actions by coaches, student‐athletes and fans.
$670,000
$550,000 Association‐wide funding Provisional/Reclass ifying Membership fees Association‐wide funding $15,000 Overhead
Committees will exercise fair and flexible decision making when making waiver and interpretive decisions. Regional Rules Seminars Rules Test
Conduct quality championships with fair selection processes and appropriate access. NACWAA/HERS Institutes (administrative advancement & executive). Division III National office and Conference Commissioner Association Sportsmanship Partnership: Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Positive Campaign and Conduct Foul Program.
$16,556,182 $48,000 $15,000
Examine demographic trends and consider whether Division III or The percentage of minority individuals in the student‐athlete population should be Association‐wide programming is appropriate to effect change in consistent with the percentage of minority individuals in the general student‐body. the division’s student‐athlete demographic profile.
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ASSOCIATION‐WIDE GOAL 3: Informed Governance and Decision‐Making. Member institutions and conferences will have access to data, research and best practices that assist governance and management of intercollegiate athletics. Objectives • Increase opportunities and support for chief executive officers to participate and make more informed decisions about intercollegiate athletics. • Increase opportunities for member institutions and conferences to share best practices in support of the Association's core values. • Increase the number and quality of research initiatives on relevant issues to help member institutions and conferences make informed decisions. • Increase opportunities for affiliated organizations to provide input for more informed decision‐making. • Enhance hiring practices for administrators, coaches and other athletics personnel, resulting in more inclusive leadership in intercollegiate athletics. Programs and Initiatives Measurable Outcomes Resource Allocation from Division III Budget Association‐wide funding
Involve Presidents in the governance structure, including the Chancellor and Presidents Advisory Group and general committees.
Quarterly Presidential Communication Division III Governance Outreach to Affiliates.
Presidential Programming at the NCAA Convention. Institutional and Conference Self Studies
Sports sponsorship and Institutional Self‐Study audits.
All conferences will have active representation in this advisory group, ultimately increasing presidential involvement in member conferences, enhancing the Presidents Council's ongoing communication with Division III presidents and encouraging presidential attendance at the NCAA Convention. The nominating committee shall recruit presidents and publicize committee openings to keep all presidential seats filled. Presidential terms limits shall be continually monitored for appropriateness and self‐nominations will be encouraged. The chair of the Presidents Council will reach out to all presidents on a quarterly basis via formal correspondence. The relationship will affiliates will be enhanced via engagement on an issue‐specific basis with the governance structure (e.g., higher education association meetings, annual sports chairs and championships committee meeting, FARA annual meeting and symposium, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Seminar). CEO involvement at the NCAA Convention will be increased by encouraging three presidents per conference to attend annually. All institutions and conferences will conduct regular reviews with active participation of campus/conference presidents. Presidential involvement shall promote an understanding of institutional control and the primary compliance role of presidents. Institutional reviews shall assess standards on recruiting, admissions, academic eligibility, student services, student‐athlete profiles, personnel and a commitment to Division III philosophical priorities (e.g., equitable athletics opportunities for males and females.) Conference reviews shall include an assessment of conference alignments, values and priorities to support increased partnerships between conference members. The Membership Committee shall annually review member compliance with sports sponsorship requirements and completed Institutional Self‐Study instruments to assess compliance with membership criteria and assess educational needs of the membership. Members placed on probation shall be required to complete an athletics program assessment.
Association‐wide funding Overhead
Association‐wide funding Overhead
Provisional/Reclas sifying membership fees
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Financial Aid Reporting Process
Drug Education and Testing Pilot
All institutions will participate in the data‐driven reporting process. Greater availability of historical data shall enable increased emphasis on the role of enforcement and penalties for future reporting years. Conduct an academic‐year round drug education and testing pilot to provide information about and experience with NCAA drug education and testing on campus, assess the impact of education and testing on drug use, and to enhance drug‐use deterrence strategies.
$10,000
Continually monitor Division III membership size and related access to championship and other services.
The governance structure shall analyze data and collect feedback from institutions to continually develop a growth management strategy for Division III.
$350,000 Division III funding for the pilot, plus $250,000 in Association‐wide funding. $125,000 Division III funding to support additional drug and alcohol education initiatives. Overhead
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ASSOCIATION‐WIDE GOAL 4: Effective National Office Administration. The National Office will be operated in an accountable, efficient manner. Objectives • Increase partnership with the membership. Better define the national office's role. • Increase flexibility, responsiveness and efficiency of interpretations, enforcement and appeals processes. • Increase the timeliness, clarity, conciseness and effectiveness of membership communication. • Increase use of technology to improve the effectiveness and efficiencies of Association processes. Programs and Initiatives Measurable Outcomes Resource Allocation from Division III Budget Overhead
Implement use of available technology to regularly deliver NCAA messages and rules education.
Partnership with National Association of Division III Athletics Administrators. Educate the membership on the role of the NCAA national office.
Conference Contact program
Strategic Initiative Conference Grant Program: Tier Three‐ Technology Grants.
The governance structure will continually assess common needs and available technologies to increase the timeliness, clarity, conciseness and effectiveness of membership communication. By 2008‐09, increased awareness of DIII issues will be acknowledged by at least 80 percent of DIII membership. The governance structure will provide financial support to the NADIIIAA. National office staff will support this membership‐led organization in its professional development offerings. Increase membership understanding of the role of the national office by including this information in governance presentations made at Leadership Conferences, Regional Seminars, conference meetings, and other appropriate venues. Continue to service all conferences and ensure new conferences are accommodated according to program guidelines (e.g., in‐person meetings with conferences; verbal interpretations; consistent NCAA staff contact). Provide funding to conferences offices to upgrade or maintain technical capabilities to access technical platforms used by the NCAA.
$51,000
Overhead
Overhead
$250,125
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ASSOCIATION‐WIDE GOAL 5: Perceptions of the Association and Intercollegiate Athletics. The public will gain a greater understanding of and confidence in the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and will more readily support its values. Objectives • Increase awareness of and advocacy for the positive values of intercollegiate athletics among the media and the public and within the membership. • Increase the public's confidence in the Association as a whole. Programs and Initiatives Measurable Outcomes Resource Allocation from Division III Budget $250,125
Strategic Initiative Conference Grant Promotions/Marketing/Division III Identity.
Program:
Tier
Three‐
Bi‐Annual Sports Information Directors Meeting
Develop Division III specific messages (PSAs) and activation tool ideas, concepts and share with the membership. Solicit targeted list of local sports media to increase communication and understanding of DIII issues.
Increase opportunities for promotion and marketing efforts on behalf of Division III institutions. This enables a marketing focus on the identity and unique distinctions of non‐scholarship athletics participation. Increased participation and communication with the media will be reflected by at least 80 percent of DIII conference sports information directors (SIDs) participating in a bi‐ annual meeting. The division’s strategic goals in this area will be reconsidered after the circulation of the membership white papers in fall 2008 and the 2009 Convention discussion regarding the division’s brand and identity. The division’s strategic goals in this area will be reconsidered after the circulation of the membership white papers in fall 2008 and the 2009 Convention discussion regarding the division’s brand and identity.
$5,000
TBD
Overhead
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Projected NCAA Division III 2008‐09 Budget Breakdown Revenue: Division III 3.18% Revenue Allocation Expenses: $20,695,000
Division III Philosophy Statement and Constitutional Principles Justifying Funded Programs Division III Institutions….
Total Championships Expense Strategic Initiative Conference Grant Program NAD3AA Partnership Conference Commissioners Meeting
$16,556,182
Support student‐athletes in their efforts to reach high levels of athletics performance, which may include opportunities for participation in national championships, by providing all teams with adequate facilities, competent coaching and appropriate competitive opportunities. (Bylaw 20.11‐(n)) Place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators and place greater emphasis on the internal constituency (e.g., students, alumni, institutional personnel) than on the general public and its entertainment needs; (Bylaw 20.11‐ (a)) The purpose of the NCAA is to assist its members in developing the basis for consistent, equitable competition while minimizing infringement on the freedom of individual institutions to determine their own special objectives and programs. (Bylaw 20.11) The purpose of the NCAA is to assist its members in developing the basis for consistent, equitable competition while minimizing infringement on the freedom of individual institutions to determine their own special objectives and programs. (Bylaw 20.11) The Association shall assist the institution in its efforts to achieve full compliance with all rules and regulations and shall afford the institution, its staff and student‐athletes fair procedures in the consideration of an identified or alleged failure in compliance. (Constitution 2.8.2) Support ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents; (Bylaw 20.11‐(l)) Encourage the development of sportsmanship and positive societal attitudes in all constituents, including student‐athletes, coaches, administrative personnel and spectators; (Bylaw 20.11‐(c)) Support ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents; (Bylaw 20.11‐(l)) Support ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents; (Bylaw 20.11‐(l)) Shall not award financial aid to any student on the basis of athletics leadership, ability, participation or performance; (Bylaw 20.11‐(b)) Seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student‐athlete's athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the student‐athlete's educational experience, and in which coaches play a significant role as educators. (Bylaw 20.11) Intercollegiate athletics programs shall be conducted in a manner designed to protect and enhance the physical and educational well‐being of student‐athletes. (Constitution 2.2) Intercollegiate athletics programs shall be conducted in a manner designed to protect and enhance the physical and educational well‐being of student‐athletes. (Constitution 2.2) Intercollegiate athletics programs shall be administered in keeping with prudent management and fiscal practices to assure the financial stability necessary for providing student‐athletes with adequate opportunities for athletics competition as an integral part of a quality educational experience. (Constitution 2.16) N/A
$1,852,250 $51,000 $15,000
Regional Seminar Planning SWA Enhancement Grant Program (NACWAA/HERS) Division‐wide Sportsmanship Initiative Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Women & Minority Intern Program Financial Aid Education/Enforcement Student‐Athlete Leadership Conference Drug and Alcohol Education Drug Education and Testing Pilot Division III Financial Recovery Insurance Overhead Allocation (including National Office staffing) Total Division III Expenses Excess Revenue over Expense
$15,000 $48,000 $15,000 $670,000 $820,000 $10,000 $680,000 $125,000 $350,000
$200,000 $786,500 $22,193,932 ‐$1,498,983
Note: The $786,500 overhead fee covers time and miscellaneous expenses related to Division III staff and programs. The $200,000 Financial Recovery Insurance protects the budget in case of a catastrophic event that would reduce or eliminate the division’s share of association wide revenue. Further, reserve funds will be used towards the championships program in this biennium.
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